


Faith’s Shield

by B_Radley, SLWalker



Series: Rarities [2]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Family, Game of Thrones: Alderaan, Multi, Pain, Recovery, Survivor Guilt, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-23 17:10:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13792290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_Radley/pseuds/B_Radley, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLWalker/pseuds/SLWalker
Summary: After the Plague and destruction of most of the Jedi Order, a family helps a survivor recover.





	1. Chapter 1

There were about a thousand things Dani would rather be doing. And any number of _people_ she could be doing, for that matter. She could be relaxing after a long session and a hot bath while seducing that masseuse she’d met a couple of weeks back. She could be sneaking over to Alderaan to visit Meglann. She could be be–

She could be doing anything but directing traffic and generating parking citations.

When she came back after an arrest went bad with a seriously dislocated shoulder and a banged up knee and had to spend time yet again recovering, her CO decided that was it for awhile and now she was relegated to slapping citations onto the registrations of illegally parked speeders. As if she couldn’t find trouble there!

She stood staring at the flashy, sporty speeder parked across two markers and at a bad angle and then bared her teeth in a rictus of dark pleasure as she tagged the citation to the registration.

“You know, upon reflection, I’m very glad I decided to take the public transit.”

For a moment, Dani felt such a sense of intense incongruity that she almost didn’t turn around. But it did, at least, surprise her out of the steady bad mood she had been in for the past two days, and when she did turn to find Maul standing on the walk, her face had morphed into an expression of _shock_.

“I could probably get you a diplomatic permit,” she said, still trying to process the fact that Maul was actually standing here, on Corellia. “But I’ll bet you know how to park.”

“Indeed I do.” He tilted his head and eyed her, chewing on a grin. “But it probably doesn’t matter; I’ve freed you from traffic duty for the rest of the day. I thought you could give me part of that tour you offered, and we could have dinner. Though, I can’t speak for your duties tomorrow.”

Dani knew full well that a day with Maul was highly unlikely to result in them tumbling into a bed (though she thought that possibility was becoming more and more real as time wore on), but that didn’t stop her from throwing herself at him, latching her arms around his neck as he reeled a bit to catch her, to the wolf-whistle of some pedestrian a block down.

(She just extended her hand in a rude gesture at the whistler as she planted a long kiss on Maul’s cheek; traffic duty was a special kind of hell and being rescued from it for awhile was more than romantic enough for her.)

 

 

 

 

“Lady Tano.”

Ahsoka grinned at the formal bow Maul gave her, and he couldn’t quite resist grinning back at her. Then she bowed herself and answered, “Lord Maul.”

The evening light was shining over the harbor and Coronet City; Maul had rescued Dani from her traffic duty purgatory and after a walking tour which included not only stories of landmarks but also of memorable arrests, they had stopped at a restaurant and ordered carry-out so that they could meet Ahsoka at the park for dinner. High on the hillside overlooking the water, the air was warm and smelled of salt; cast in that golden evening light, it was idyllic and while Maul had no desire to move there, he could appreciate the view.

“How goes the training?” Maul asked, once the tongue-in-cheek formalities were out of the way, slipping around Dani to grab his box and perch himself up on the picnic table.

“It goes.” Ahsoka shrugged, somehow both rueful and cheerful at once, as she grabbed her own box and climbed up after him, sitting next to him cross-legged. “We both lost all of our teachers, so we’ve just been piecing things together as we go, really.”

Maul nodded back at that, thinking back over that brief meeting on Alderaan where Croft had brought Ahsoka with him. “I’m sure Obi-Wan could fill in on those things Croft doesn’t know.”

Dani snorted at that from behind them; Maul cast a questioning glance back at her, where she was laying out her four variety boxes on the table, but it was Ahsoka that answered, “I think the only reason Tal and Master Kenobi even have a truce right now is because they’re on entirely different planets and don’t have to see each other.”

There had been tension between Croft and Obi-Wan when the former had come to Alderaan; Maul remembered being surprised at how snappish and dogmatic Obi-Wan had slipped into being upon confrontation from the younger Jedi. Though, he could understand Obi-Wan’s defensiveness; Maul had certainly not cared for being called a _pet project_ , especially as it had been Obi-Wan who asked to train _him_ when Maul was ready to spend the rest of his life avoiding the man. From his perspective, they had both seemed to be speaking a whole different language and one which was not strictly compatible with reality; hiding behind the formalities of a shattered Order to avoid speaking of the pain they were both clearly in, Obi-Wan standing upon his knighted status and Croft defaulting to that of a defiant student with something to prove, either to himself or to others.

Maul could understand not wanting to discuss the painful parts; there were two people in the whole galaxy who he allowed to brush up against his own wounds, and even the woman he considered his mother respected that, though that didn’t dissuade her from offering comfort even when she didn’t know the specifics behind why she felt he needed it. What he couldn’t understand was why the Jedi didn’t at least treat one another gently despite not being open about it; the antagonism was counter-productive to both.

Then again, he had long-since come conclusion that while the Order was not populated by monsters, they had some very _messed up_ ideas of how to handle interpersonal relationships.

“I don’t think Obi-Wan resents him; in fact, I’m sure that despite the personality conflict, he’s relieved that he’s not the only Jedi left who isn’t Force-blind,” Maul said, after ordering his thoughts.

“It’s not really Obi-Wan we’re thinking of,” Dani said, sitting on the bench offset behind them as she plowed through her dinner, though she paused to throw that in with a huff.

“Tal’s–” Ahsoka shook her head, looking a little weary for her years. “The whole thing was a disaster in the middle of a disaster. I was cast out of the Order for trying to get the younglings away to somewhere safe, and Tal’s holding a grudge against every Jedi who didn’t stand up for me at the time. Master Kenobi was all the way in the Outer Rim, but that doesn’t matter.” Her expression softened some, then. “It was just–” She shook her head again, picking at her spiced gamebird strips. “–there was so much fear, so much chaos, no one could seem to stop the plague or even explain it, and in the middle of all of that, them casting me out was more than he could take, especially since his Master went radio-silent at the same time.”

Maul couldn’t pretend to understand from a Jedi perspective, but he remembered how horrible it had been even on Alderaan, even surrounded by family and the safety of home. Being cast into that chaos would have been terrifying; even though he didn’t want to subject himself to Croft’s resentment, he felt for the man and what he had been through.

And Maul felt for the girl, too.

He didn’t press for more; was not in the habit of interrogation, especially about things which were written in suffering. Instead, he just nodded after a moment of silence to mark the plight, then asked, “What do _you_ want, Ahsoka?”

To her credit, she thought about it for a bit, tilting her head, blue eyes reflecting gold-gray in the evening light. “I want to go to Alderaan. I don’t think Tal’s going to swallow his pride anytime soon, but– I’m kind of tired of being sheltered. I know why he’s being so protective, but I want to learn some higher disciplines from Master Kenobi and maybe have some space to move around.”

“Well, we’d be glad to have you as our guest,” Maul said, nodding as he thought about it. “I can’t imagine that would make him _less_ resentful, but whatever it is you choose, you’re welcome in our home.”

Breha, especially, would adore Ahsoka. And it would probably be good for Obi-Wan, too, to have a student who was a little more conventional than his current one.

Dani had been quiet for all of that, but then she spoke up, mischief in her voice, “Another excuse for me to go to Alderaan? Sign me up.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From a prompt from SLWalker. A conversation between Ahsoka and Croft on Corellia
> 
> Thanks for letting me play!

Ahsoka Tano walks up the trail towards unpleasantness. She stops for a moment as she looks out over the low green hills of the area known as Cosainglas, south and west of the capital city of Corellia. She smiles as the scent of evergreens and the forest’s other vegetation tickles her nose. Draq’ Bel Iblis had smiled with pride on his tour of the area when she had first arrived.

He had pointed out the low rise of trees to the north. “Hard to believe that an entire headquarters and research campus of a major galactic corporation is in the midst of all this,” he had said.

She could just pick out the low buildings interspersed throughout the trees, as if placed there by the elves who were the mythological progenitors of this forest.

“Wasn’t always like this. It’s only in the last few hundred years that we made the decision to move our heavy industry into orbit.” Her eyes had followed his fingers to the sky. She could just make out the faint winking lights of the line of factories and shipyards through the sunlit day. “We learned the hard way when we nearly destroyed the atmosphere.” His craggy face had darkened. “We’re still learning. There are still some cities along the coast of this continent that are in dire need of cleanup. Even Coronet City has an enclave that still needs it.”

She remembers his rueful grin. “We’re thick-skulled and a bit slow on the uptake here on the Eldest Brother.” He had pulled her to him unexpectedly in a tight embrace. “I think you’re finding that out the hard way, Ahsoka,” he had said.

She feels her teeth clinch as she hears the voice of the poster child for at least one of those traits resonating in her montrals. Along with the sound of several training remotes. The voice alternates between grunts of pain and curses in several languages. Including her own, minus the trills and in a lower register.

She shakes her head. _Nope. Not now. I think that I might take the long way around._ She turns to her right, taking the path to the secluded lagoon.

+=+=+=+=+=

Draq’ steps out from behind the tree as Croft manages to hold off two of the remotes, deactivating them with a quick riposte. Just as the other three dodge the deflected bolts from their companions and manage to intersect their own bolts with him, in three places.

Two in the place where he probably needed, but the last strikes his chest. As he goes down, flat on his back, Taliesin waves his left hand. The other three remotes deactivate and slam to the ground.

Draq’ closes his eyes, then steps out. He stops as Tal turns his head towards him, as if he knew he was there all along. The Dragon takes a deep breath. “I thought that those things weren’t supposed to leave marks,” he says, pointing to the singe points dotting Tal’s dark undertunic and trousers.

“They’re not. Unless you take some of the safeguards out,” Croft replies.

Draq’ closes the distance, and holds his hand out. His eyes narrow as Croft pushes it away and climbs to his feet on his own. “You, know, sport, you’re starting to get on my last nerve,” he says, darkly.

“Well, I guess I’ll go cry myself to sleep over that, old man,” Croft replies.

Draq’ ignores the reply. “I think you are getting on everyone’s nerves,” he says quietly. “Even Dani’s, who is probably the hardest person you’ll ever meet to truly piss off—if she loves you.”

Croft is silent as he walks over to the discarded robe. He reaches into an inner pocket and brings out three more bacta pads. Draq’s eyes fall on several other discarded ones piled neatly next to the garment.

Croft removes his undertunic and begins to work on the small burn on his chest. Draq’ can see that the small wound, while superficial, is still larger than ones that usually occur with the training remote in its normal mode. _At least he didn’t put it on full_ , Draq’ thinks.

He smirks as he realizes that Croft is now trying to reach around to the other two wounds. Wounds located near where his head may be firmly placed. He looks up at Draq’.

“Oh, no. Don’t look at me, pup. That’s what med-droids are for.”

Croft rolls his eyes, ending the expression with his current normal of a sour, angry neutrality.

Draq’ punches a button on his comm. He walks over to his nephew. He allows his eyes to look over other healing burns. He tamps down the sympathy rising in his chest, hardening it.

“I’m trying my damndest to figure out if your current state is a genetic marker of the Blackthorns, the Raylans, the Shysas, or whoever produced that old rancor of a Mando grandfather of yours—the original Croft.”

The current holder of that surname’s green eyes flash with fire. A name given to those unwanted on his other world. A name that had been given to him, by that same Mando grandfather, once he had first manifested certain abilities. Abilities that had been robbed from all but less than a known handful of being in the galaxy, now.

“I thought it might be that I have been around your charming personality a bit too much,” Croft replies, calming the fire.

“No. I think it is actually because you’re feeling sorry for yourself,” Draq’ replies. “Well, I have had about enough of the damned pity-party on my world,” he finishes.

Croft takes a step towards the older man, stops. His jaw is clinched so hard that Draq’ is afraid it may break. Tal holds up his hands, then steps back. “What do you think you’re going to do, Dragon?” he asks. “You’ve been filling my head with that ‘hope of Corellia’ bullshit, that I don’t think you want to kick me off.”

Draq’ snorts. “You think that, Taliesin? You think that you are so indispensable?” He closes the distance, looking down at the Jedi from his head taller in height. “We survived without a Covenant after your father left Corellia for Mandalore. Before that, we were without one for hundreds of years while the Raylans were off at their own pity party in the hollers, scraping a living out of the hills, until your grandmother came east.”

He sees his words striking home. “You think that you are the only one suffering with what happened to the Jedi? Our own people are so scared, we have seen an uptick in violent crime. Our mental health care system is stretched to the breaking point. The Legate may demand Dani back for patrol duties rather than Intelligence work.” He places his hand on Tal’s shoulders. “Yes, we need you, Tal. But we need you whole and not distracted by this whatever-it-is that has you snarling at everybody since you got back from Alderaan. Especially that young woman who is trying to get through to you.”

Tal’s eyes flash again. Without a word, he shakes the Dragon’s hands off his shoulders, and turns to walk away. A wave of his hand and the robe and the five training remotes follow him, like a flock of nuna-chicks.

Draq’ Bel Iblis, the Dragon of Corellia, throws his hands up in the air. He tamps down his despair. Not just for his world, but for the young man that is stalking away from him. For the young woman who despairs of his pain, as well as her own. He throws one last lifeline towards the retreating back.

“Remember what this place means, Taliesin Croft. Both its name and its place in your family’s memory.”

+=+=+=+=+=

Ahsoka moves slowly down the path, hoping against hope that Tal might’ve calmed. She doesn’t fear him—his anger is never violent. There are just some days that she can’t face the raw pain. She longs for the humor and laughter that had marked when they had first met—he a Padawan on punishment duty for his mouth’s inability to guard itself; sent down to the Clawmouse clan to help train younglings. She a youngling with her own propensity for getting bored, then in trouble.

She smiles to herself as she thinks of the amount of snark and sarcasm that had flown in that training salle. She hopes that light had not died with the Order.

Her eyes widen as a deep warmth assaults her body, her mind, and her heart. She grins as she thinks of the cause of that warmth explaining the three arms of the Zeltron soul. She shakes her head as she tries to tamp down the feelings in the body—supposedly the lower end of the triangle.

She walks out into the clearing of the lake. Daaineran Faygan lies on a pool float moving slowly on the calm surface of the water, one hand desultorily trailing in the water, keeping the float close to the shore. Ahsoka grins as she realizes that her right hand, her weaker hand, holds some sort of umbrella concoction. Her left hand, her weapon hand, in the water, remains unencumbered. The grin widens as she sees the tiny waterproof pouch on her left leg.

Ahsoka looks away as she realizes that is all that the officer wears. She locks her eyes on their violet counterparts in Dani’s face. Counterparts that are now gleaming with suppressed laughter.

“Hello, dear. Care to join me? The water is very warm.” The eyes grow hooded, with just a hint of the black spreading in them. “There is room on this float,” she says. “Barely.”

Ahsoka does some more tamping. “Don’t have a suit,” she says lamely.

Dani rolls her eyes. “Really? That’s the excuse? I know your people, silly. They have less modesty taboos than mine.”

“Yeah. In the bush. Not usually in the middle of a city. Even one in the midst of the forest,” Ahsoka replies. She sits down, crossing her legs. She looks down. “I’m sorry, Dani. It’s just not the right time.” A vision of yellow-green skin under her hands and mouth strikes into her brain at her words. She tries to shake the diamond facial tattoos from her mind’s eye.

She looks up to see Dani rising from the water, walking towards her. As she walks onto the brief beach, she reaches down and pulls a brightly colored silk robe up and dons it. She ties it only loosely. Ahsoka can feel that the warmth in her body has changed, slightly.

Dani sits next to her and pulls her in tightly to her shoulder. “Whenever you are ready, if you like, Ahsoka. It is always your choice.”

“She said that she didn’t want to,” comes a sharp voice from the trail. Ahsoka’s eyes flash as they both turn.

Dani stands up, her skin flushing darker as her eyes turn full-black. Ahsoka’s eyebrow markings rise. She remembers when she had first met the CorSec officer. She had seen that combination directed at someone before. Dani had told her later that it usually signified deep anger.

Of course, the person that the anger had been directed at back then stands on the trail now.

“I heard her,” Dani says evenly. “I also said it is her choice. She is an adult in the eyes of the Republic. Hell, she was technically an adult on her own world when she took those teeth on her head.” Her anger rises. “When she saved your useless ass from being a Corellian-snack.”

He comes closer. “She is also my goddamned responsibility, Daaineran,” he says.

Dani doesn’t back down. “Yeah? Then start acting like it. Act like you’re a teacher, not just some asshole who’s style is cramped by a student.”

Croft clinches his teeth. “We’ve had this discussion before. She doesn’t cramp my style. But I will do what I must to keep her alive.”

“Why, Taliesin? The Order cast her out, because she dared to defy them, to do what she thought was right. They cast her out when they should’ve keeping every Jedi that they could safe. Seems like she’s done pretty well on her own.”

“Why the hell—?” he starts. He doesn’t get to finish.

Ahsoka jumps up. A part of her watches herself as if from a distance with amazement as she pokes her long index finger in his chest. “I.Am.Standing.Right.Here,” she spits out. She takes both of them in with her fire. “I am not your responsibility, Bait,” she says. “I am your friend. I am your hunt-sister. Why the hell can’t you remember that? You took an oath to me, that you would fight with me, not for me. With your damned overprotectiveness, it seems a lot like ‘for’ to me.”

She holds the same finger up as she sees him about to speak. He closes his mouth. “I’m an adult. I am not a Jedi. You’re not my Master. You don’t have to protect me.”

“Yes, I do, Runt,” he says. “Kenobi told me to go and teach you. To give you the tools that might help you to survive in a galaxy without another Jedi.”

Her anger flares again. “Yes. To teach. Not to be my master. You’re barely away from being a student yourself.” She turns to walk away. Her eyes fall on Dani, watching with an unfathomable expression. Ahsoka moves over to her and seizes her face in her hands, bringing their lips together. As she releases her, she gets a final word in. “I am an adult,” she says. “I am going to Alderaan. To Kenobi.”

As she walks away, she sees something she has never seen before in his face. She sees his face crumple.

+=+=+=+=+=

As the young woman stalks away, Croft feels like what is left of his heart shrivel. He sits down hard.

Dani sits across from him. He sees that her eyes are back to their usual color. They are more wary than usual though.

_Whose fault is that?_

“Why, Taliesin?” she asks quietly. She doesn’t have to clarify.

He keeps his silence, looking out over the water. Her eyes focus on Dani’s float, now in the middle of the lake.

“Because I can’t fail her,” he whispers. “I can’t fail her like I failed my Master. Like I failed hers.”

He can see that she waits patiently as he gathers himself.

He apparently takes too long.

“Did you infect them? Did you send Ti off to the Outer Rim, even though she knew there was a terrible risk?”

“I might as well have,” he says.

She reaches over and yanks his what remains of his full beard. He manages not to gasp. He also manages to force the memory of the last time she had done that to him, when he wasn’t wearing anything else to grasp.

“You are such a dumbass, Croft,” she says, an edge to her voice. “I’ve never met your Master. But she sounds like someone I would like to. But I am sure that she would’ve said the same damned thing that I am saying. She was a Jedi Master. If someone was in danger, she would move heaven and earth to get there to help.”

His eyes flash again. “You don’t understand. I almost had her convinced not to go. That after what had happened to Barriss Offee could’ve happened to Master Di. He could’ve been sending out another false distress call in his madness.” He looks away. “A second distress call convinced her to go.”

She pulls him into her arm. He feels her heartbeat against his cheek. “I felt her slipping away, Dani. I felt the training bond slip away. I felt it unravel.”

He watches as Dani reaches into his discarded robe and pull out a small flask. She opens it and takes a sip, then hands it to him. He smirks. “How the hell did you know that was in there?”

She returns the smirk. “I felt it when you were still wearing the robe once. It left a bruise on my hip.”

“Yeah, well. You kept your boots on,” he says. “And your knives.”

His eyes fall as he remembers their current conversation, rather than past. “I had felt other Jedi lose the Force. But it was nothing like this. I will never forget it. It is not just in my memory.”

He feels himself try to choke back the sob building in his throat. He only just manages. “The memory goes clear into my Force-sense. Try as I might, I can’t forget the sensation.”

He feels her lift his face. “Anytime I am around Ahsoka, or Kenobi, or even that zabrak—any Force sensitive—the sensation plays in my mind over and over again. Even my own Shadow training—the extra shielding alone doesn’t help.”

He sees the tears in her eyes start to fall on her cheeks. He wipes them away. “It is why I feel like I am failing Ahsoka. It is like a pain always there when I am close to her and wanting to train her. I want so much to help her, to be around her. To protect her. Because I lo—.”

He manages to stop himself. She doesn’t push. “Is there anyone that can help you? I know I am not an expert in the Force, but I am a trained psychologist,” she says gently.

“I don’t know. I do feel better when you are around us. I think that your gift helps. She has also gotten better on her shielding. That helps.”

“I will help you, Tal,” she says. “But I think that you might want to let her go to Alderaan for a while. I know you have had Phygus looking for Ti. I think that even though Draq’ will bluster, the Five Brothers can spare their Covenant. Even just knowing they have a Covenant will help.”

He feels himself nodding. “You might be right. But how the hell do I tell Ahsoka?”

“You just tell her, son,” comes a deeper voice. Tal and Dani look up. Draq’ stands over them.

Tal blushes as he feel Dani closing her robe tighter. Draq’ rolls his eyes and then shakes his head.

“How long have you been standing there?” he asks, feeling the blush to his toes.

“Long enough to hear what you said. Not long enough to see your hands wandering over her ass.” He makes a gesture of dismissal. “You’re both adults. But you should’ve told me what was bothering you, Tal. We will do whatever you need. We will guard Ahsoka as if she is our own.”

Tal looks away, unable to meet those piercing eyes. “I think it best that she go to Alderaan when Maul goes back. Master Kenobi, and as much as I hate to admit it, even Maul, might help train her while I go to the Outer Rim.”

“Do you have to go, love?” Dani asks.

He grins, the crooked expression of old. “I think so. Besides the feeling of the bond tearing, there is something else. Something I can’t articulate.” He takes a deep breath. “It feels like I have an itch in my throat. One that I can’t get out.”

“You think there is something out there? Someone?”

He shakes his head. “No. It doesn’t feel like a Force-presence. Just more like someone I know real well.”

“Like a Master?” Ahsoka says. She walks up beside Draq’.

+=+=+=+=+=

Ahsoka sees Taliesin rise. The warm smile that she had missed for so long flows to his features.

He stops short, looks away. “I think you are right to go to Kenobi, Runt,” he says quietly. “I need help. I need to find something.”

She nods. “Why don’t you let me help? Come to Alderaan with me. I am sure that the three of us can figure this out, before you go off to the Rim by yourself.” She looks him in the eye, blue to green. “Maybe I will be ready to go with you.”

She sees Draq’ nodding in agreement. He turns to Dani.  “You know that there is a Legal Attache’ assignment to the mission on Alderaan, Dani. I can speak to the Legate-Internal, or the Marshal.”

Her eyes widen, then fall. “I don’t have the rank. That is at least a Senior Inspector’s gig. Usually a Chief Inspector.”

Draq’ gives an expression that he has been known for the galaxy over. One that has struck fear in the eyes of various potentates over that galaxy, as well as Legates-Internal—even though they are technically peers. Ahsoka sees Tal shake his head.

Draq’ looks at Tal. “Remember what I said about this place, your Eminence?”

He nods. “Not quite the Covenant, yet, Uncle.”

“Details, lad. Details. Just like Dani isn’t a Senior Inspector.” He bows his head. “Tell Ahsoka about Cosainglas.”

Ahsoka turns her full attention to him, moving closer. “The language of the Covenants,” he starts, “is called Middle Corellian. Corainglas is the Middle Corellian word for ‘Shield of Green’.”

“In the colors of my family, green stands for faith. Maybe even hope.” He grins. “This place is only a hundred years old or so. It marks the place where my grandmother, Ina Raylan, accepted the first Covenant’s chain Declared for in several hundred years. The times when there is word that a new Covenant has been chosen, but has not Declared, are called the Green-times.” He takes her hand in his. She feels the warmth of his hand against her cooler one. “The time of Faith and Hope.”

“Why is it called a ‘shield’?” Ahsoka asks.

“Because the Covenant is protector of his people,” Draq’ says. “Their fiefs are called shields, especially when they protect the capital. Like Crowneshield and Southshield.” He grins ruefully. “This one is more symbolic.”

Dani smiles as she moves closer. “This is the place where his grandmother married his grandfather, the Elector.” The smile turns devilish. “After she kicked his ass.” She sobers. “This is the place of rebirth for the title of Covenant.”

“So what was Draq’ trying to tell you, Bait?” Ahsoka asks.

“I think in his senile babbling, he was trying to get me to have faith. Faith that I might find something of what I was looking for.”

Ahsoka laughs at Draq’s thunderous expression. She looks back at Tal. He pulls her close to him. “Go to Alderaan, Ahsoka,” he says. “I will follow as soon as I get all of this poodoo taken care of.”

She stares into his eyes. She realizes that they are much closer in height than ever before. They both look away.

Tal looks out of the corner of his eye. “Dani will be there. Don’t let Kenobi or his project give you any shit.” He rolls his eyes. “That is if Inspector Faygan can keep from corrupting you.”

“Who says I won’t corrupt her?” Ahsoka says with a Smirk—the trademarked expression of a huntress from a clan near the Lar River.

“If we can stop with the flirting, there is a bit of business to attend to. Master Windu is almost here. He wants to meet with you. In orbit.”

Ahsoka sees Croft’s expression darken. “Has he had all of his shots?”

Draq’ looks puzzled. “I don’t think the Drall vaccine works on those already infected.”

“I didn’t mean those,” Croft says evenly.

Ahsoka giggles. Dani punches him on his arm.

Ahsoka mimics a move of Dani’s. She yanks on his beard, though there is no kiss at the end. After his yelp, he grins. “Have your fun, Runt. Think some of it might go away.”

Her eyes widen, but she nods. The Smirk returns. “Guess I won’t be able to have gardeners trim it if you accidentally fall asleep in a garden.”

“You little shit. I thought that was Phygus!” he exclaims. Their laughter rises together.

She touches his face. “It will take some getting used to.”

He nods, leaning into her hand. “More childish things to put away,” he whispers.

Tal and Ahsoka look at one another and then turn. Maul stands at the head of the other trail. His golden eyes are focused on Croft.

“Kenobi’s project would like a word.”


	3. Chapter 3

If truth be told, Maul would have been content to never step foot off of Alderaan again.

There was no wanderlust in him that couldn't be sated by travelling his homeworld; from the few seas, to the many lakes, to the network of rivers, to the mountains Alderaan was known for, to her grasslands, to the older ranges weathered and softened, with their thousands of kilometers of old growth forests and abandoned mines and river valleys. The only things Maul avoided were the swamps, and even those he'd tolerate if he had to, all complaints aside.

Still, he could appreciate Corellia's environmental remediation, even if it was behind Alderaan's by some distance. Maul supposed that was because Corellia's business interests were considerably more vocal and powerful; Alderaan had its industry, but the large-scale types of industrial works had fallen by the wayside after the Civil War. What was left was mostly logging and mining, and even those were extremely tightly regulated; most private business on Alderaan was small business, though in the case of the Elder Houses, things were more diverse.

Of course, instead of allowing Dani to talk him into skinny dipping while Ahsoka went to handle Croft, he had begged off and gone wandering around the evergreens as he waited to hear what the verdict would be. There were a great number of lifeforms in common between the Five Brothers and Alderaan, thanks to early trade and colonization efforts, and one of Maul's papers in his third year had actually been on the divergent evolution of several of the hardwood species. Wandering through the evergreens in this area was not quite the same as being home, but-- perhaps more like visiting a cousin one was fond of.

This world had its charms; he couldn't _feel_ it the way he could his own, but he certainly didn't feel unwelcome.

At least, not by the planet. Or some of its inhabitants.

Croft, on the other hand...

"Given how many babies you're supposed to be making with Dani right now, I'm surprised you're not at the lake."

Draq' Bel Iblis's deep voice came from lower down the trail, and Maul jumped a little in surprise, having been so lost in thought that he had not really been paying attention to his surroundings as well as he should have been. At those words, he opened his mouth to-- say _something_ , but just ended up gaping at the man instead.

Draq's lips twisted into a smirk. "Close your mouth, boy, I'm not in that big a hurry to be called Grandpappy."

Maul did as he was told, even though his face was instantly on fire. He knew Draq' peripherally, mostly because Draq' and Bail had been friends for a very long time -- predating even Maul's life on Alderaan -- but he had not had occasion to converse with the man at any length beyond the usual formalities, the rare comm conversation and likewise rare casual meeting. As such, he wasn't entirely sure how to _relate_ ; he didn't even know if Draq' was aware of the more-- personal aspects of his relationships, outside of his and Dani's ongoing flirtation, and thus was a little worried about stepping wrong.

"I'm glad I've provided Mazi with what's likely to be several more years of entertainment," Maul finally managed to say back, rolling his shoulders and then rubbing at the back of his neck, perhaps more sheepishly than he intended to. "My queen's mother is apparently now in on the game plotting the wedding, though likely more seriously than my own mother's numbering of grandchildren."

Draq' quirked his eyebrows with in a facial shrug. "Long as I'm not on the hook to pay for it."

Despite the banter, there was something about the set of the man's shoulders that spoke of weariness and tension both; Maul had kept himself shielded since he had set his feet down on Corellia, not wanting to have to battle with Dani's resonance, then later proximity to Croft's resentments, but he nonetheless could recognize the weight the man was carrying. He scaled smoothly down the trail until they were walking side-by-side, though Maul had a moment where he wondered if he shouldn't have kept the high ground, if only because Draq' was even taller than Bail was. "At this rate, I'm sure the columnists would pool their resources and pay for it entire, as long as they got to cover it."

Draq' snorted at that, seemingly amused despite his preoccupation. "Probably."

When Dani and Ahsoka had asked him to linger so that the topic of taking Ahsoka back to Alderaan could be brought up, Maul had agreed; one didn't offer an invitation without being willing to see it through regardless of how quickly it was taken. He didn't hesitate to offer it -- whatever occasional insecurities had cropped up over the past year and some months, he knew Bail and Breha would be fine with it -- though he had to admit to being surprised that Ahsoka had jumped on it so quickly.

It said a great deal about how much she must have felt she needed it.

He folded his hands behind his back as they walked, balancing well even on the uneven ground. "I'm-- I'm not looking to step on your nephew's toes, but earlier Ahsoka expressed an interest in coming to stay on Alderaan for awhile, in order to learn some higher level disciplines from Master Kenobi. I told her that she would always be welcome; I think she means to take that invitation immediately."

Draq' glanced over and down, expression unreadable; still, he didn't seem angry. Then he looked back ahead. "Step on 'em. Hell, _dance_ on 'em." He shook his head, the muscles in his jaw jumping as he clenched his teeth; Maul managed not to wince, able to hear the man grinding them, before Draq' continued, "I love that boy as if he were my own. But he's been a beast to live with; all piss and whiskey, and more likely to do the first on an offered hand, then take up the second right after. I just told him to stop wallowing in his self-pity, but I doubt he's going to listen anytime soon."

Maul's brow went way up at that. He blinked once, then looked back out ahead, flexing his hand around his own wrist and debating internally for a moment how much he had any business butting into someone else's. Or, for that matter, what good he could accomplish by doing so. He was not particularly given to involving himself in the affairs of others outside of his own family; at least, not unless he was invited, had a stake in it, or was dragged into it.

Nonetheless, his own thoughts earlier about why the Jedi had been so hard on each other on Alderaan returned, and even cringing internally, Maul found himself saying, "It doesn't seem like self-pity, from my admittedly outsider perspective; I think stepping or dancing on his toes would do him more harm than good."

He could feel the Dragon turn a full-on gaze on him, which was why he steadfastly didn't look over to meet it. Draq' wasn't the type of man who was used to being challenged -- even if Maul didn't mean it such, it certainly probably _felt_ like one -- and especially on such a sensitive subject as family. "Really," Draq' said, a hint of a rumble in his voice, though it still didn't seem angry. It might have been a warning, instead; even then, there was a hint of amusement in it.

 _This,_ Maul thought, _was a terrible idea._

He was probably cringing outwardly by now, feeling like he was stepping his feet in the lava flow of _definitely none of his damned business_ , but since he'd already opened his mouth, he might as well see how far up his legs he ended up charred to blackened bone. He closed his eyes and stopped, sorting his thoughts, then looked up at Draq' steadily. "When Obi-Wan came to Alderaan, he was-- unwell. He'd spent years out there alone, and if he thought someone was being intentionally kind to him, he'd slap that hand away with bared teeth. He was likely more angry than he will ever admit, about what happened to his life, his Order; he was certainly _hurting_."

Maul paused a moment, head twitching once to the side uneasily, but since he'd already jumped in-- "He crossed the line with me; rather than beating him up or casting him out, as I think he probably expected and perhaps even wanted, I avoided him and he, to his credit, realized his errors and worked very hard to make amends. But never once did we try to shake him out of any-- so-called self-pity. Even when he was on the outs with me, we -- my family -- treated him kindly. If anything, sir, we've had to try to teach him how to be kind to _himself_ , because I-- don't think that Order of his ever did. If Croft is anything like that -- angry and hurting and self-destructive, jumping at shadows and burning his candle at both ends -- then the last thing he needs is accused of self-pity, let alone feeling as if someone was walking, or dancing, on his toes."

If he was going to end up baked by dragonfire, Maul figured, he should probably at least earn it.

But Draq' hadn't opened his mouth, nor had his expression changed, as he listened through all of that.

When he did turn to head the rest of the way down the path, at a pace which made it clear he wished no more company, he only scoffed, "You're such an Organa."

Even as Maul huffed out a relieved breath, shoulders sagging, he found himself smiling for that.

 

 

 

He caught the tail end of Croft giving Ahsoka a nudge to go to Alderaan.

His brow went up anew when he was again referred to as a _project_ , though this time less benevolently. Still, as much as that piqued him, Maul wasn't interested in picking any fights over it.

He had already done a fine job sticking himself in other people's business today, so rounding it out with one more bit of audacity wasn't likely to make things much worse. Perhaps it was proximity to _this_ family; they seemed the types to end up entangled in too many things with too few limbs, juggling a hundred concerns and occasionally getting hit in the face by one, and dragging anyone in their periphery into the same.

That mental image -- Draq' tangled up in metaphysical yarn, and the rest of them along with him -- made Maul have to chew down a smirk, though not an unkind one. And when it seemed the conversation had ended, he spoke up himself, dryly: "Kenobi's project would like a word."

Croft's green eyes went briefly wide, then narrowed; when Dani gave Maul a gentle, questioning look, Maul just gave her back a nearly imperceptible shake of his head. She pressed a smile back, and then she and Ahsoka took their leave, along with Draq', leaving the two of them there.

Maul had a feeling if he allowed his shields to fall, he would be met with a face full of dislike and distrust, like a psychic slap across the chops. That was more than enough reason for him to keep them up; he just went the rest of the way down the trail, pausing a few meters away, and gave a rueful look to the wary Jedi.

He let out a slow breath to settle himself. "She'll be cared for well, on Alderaan."

"I'm sure," Croft said back, tense, the words bitten off. "They kept you safe while the rest of us were being wiped out like insects, after all."

That-- stung a lot more than Maul wanted it to. More than he expected it to. He was used to the occasional barb, he definitely was used to certain other Elder Houses whispering vicious rumors about him, and he was good at letting that roll off of his back, but for some reason, that one hit home. He felt his jaw knot and he had to work to unwind his shoulders.

"As you say," he only answered, with a stiff inclination of his head, falling back on every bit of formality he had learned over the years. "I'm sorry for your suffering, Master Jedi," he added, and he meant it.

Even if he was getting rather tired of being the one the Order's survivors took it out on.

He didn't say anything else, though, just turned and walked away, face hot and chest sore, and didn't look back to see what expression Croft was throwing after him.


	4. The Leap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two protectors talk to a Jedi Master. 
> 
> Some skinny-dipping, some snark, but healing for at least two of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thanks to SLWalker for letting me play.

Croft watches as Maul walks away. He sits down on a stone bench, his shoulders slumped. _Can’t really do anything without your winning personality showing through, can you, bud?_

He closes his eyes, lifting his hands to his chin and running them up through his beard, all the way through his hair. 

_He didn’t deserve that_ , he thinks.

A tiny bit of his brain, a bit that sounds suspiciously like his old Shadow-teacher, voices a different opinion. _Yes, he did,_ says the Quinlan Vos voice—the voice that sounds in his head anytime he is feeling obstinate and contrarian. He shakes his head, trying to free himself from Vos’s influence. 

“He didn’t deserve that.”

Croft whips around, thinking that his conscience has repeated itself in Dani Faygan’s voice. Idly, as he is turning, he wonders what his conscience would say about some of the things that they had done together.

He gives a sigh of relief as he sees her standing at the trailhead. His eyes widen. She has definitely changed clothing, but he is not sure about whether this counts as more ‘professional’.

She is wearing her uniform trousers and her gunbelt. Her tunic and boots seem to have been left behind. She wears a tight, abbreviated tank. Her charcoal and blue hair is free about her shoulders, slightly damp. Her purple eyes appraise him with an unreadable expression.

He holds up his hands. “You’re right, Daaineran,” he says quietly. He looks down. 

He feels her sit next to him as he closes his eyes. Her warm skin touches his neck as she pulls him close. 

“Did he tell you?” Croft asks. 

“No. I can just read him. He shields pretty good. But he was hurt by whatever you said.”

“Dani, how do you know him?” he asks. “Are you and he—?” 

He stops as she places her fingers over his lips. “You don’t get to ask that, Tal. We’re not exclusive.”

He looks away. “I know, Dani.” He kisses her fingers. “I just don’t want to see you hurt. I don’t know much about him.”

She rolls her eyes. “My knight in slightly tarnished armor. Tal, you don’t protect me. I can take care of myself.”

He smiles, a crooked expression that usually cuts through her. “I thought we look out for one another.”

It is her turn to look away. “Yeah, I guess I did play the protector when that Chandrilan attache tried to get her claws into you.’

He rolls his eyes. “Yeah. By taking one for the team.”

“Yep. Fell on that grenade for you, sport,” she says. 

Their warm laughter rises in the cooling air. 

Her expression grows sober. “Tal, Maul is taking Ahsoka on to Alderaan,” she says. 

After a moment, he nods. “What about you? Are you going?” he asks.

She smiles ruefully. “Still up in the air. I’m actually due a brevet promotion for that slaver caper, since they couldn’t give me another Bloodstripe. Already got both ranks of them. I get the pay, and the time in grade for taking the next assessment gets waived, but that isn’t until next year. There isn’t precedent for a brevet taking an assignment like this.”

“Kinda ridiculous. Draq’ told me you haven’t made the two year requirement in grade for any of your ranks. Even Apprentice,” he says. He grins as he sees her look away, a glimpse of pride on her crimson features. 

Her gaze turns back to his. “Maul seems to think that it might be good if I come with you, once you take the Chain. If that is what you are going to do. I am sure that Draq’ would want you to Declare for the Electorate.”

“Nope,” he says emphatically. “I’ll take the Covenant’s Chain. It is kinda what I do already,” he says, “but under no circumstances will I take the Electoral Signet.”

She nods. Her eyes look out over the lake.

“Look, Dani, if you want to go on with Ahsoka and Maul, please do. You need comfort and joy as much as anyone. I think that spending some time with Ahsoka would be good for you.” He looks away. “Whatever form that takes.”

She touches his cheek. “That is up to her. I think she’s still reeling from something else other than the plague.”

He nods. “She’s never told me; it is none of my business, but I think that other Padawan—Barriss Offee might’ve meant more to her than as a friend. I think she is hurting from that. From the betrayal,” he finishes. 

She nods. “I’ll help her in any way that she wants. The resonance is good for something besides taking people to the stars and back.”

“Don’t I know it.”

She suddenly yanks him to his feet. “I think that the water is still probably very warm. I think that you and I should try it out.”

He rolls his eyes. “Dani, I have a meeting with a Jedi Master,” he starts. 

“Oh, poodoo. You were going to blow it off anyway. Let’s think about blowing together,” she says, her eyes transitioning as her pupils swallow all remnants of purple.

It takes a minute, but he smirks at her words. As he starts to lift her tank, she stops him. “Tal. One thing. If you do make this meeting, know something.” She looks down. “Windu might tell you some things about Maul. I don’t know what. I just know—.” She stops as if gathering herself. “I don’t really care what he might tell you. I know that Maul is a good man. Please keep an open mind. Listen to Kenobi who knows him about as well as anyone outside the Royal Family. Listen to them, if they will tell you anything. But keep an open mind.” He is struck by the pleading in her eyes. He reaches down and kisses her gently, the fingers of his right hand moving to her cheek; his thumb moving over the slight tears under her eyes.

“You got it, Senior Inspector. Matter of fact, I’m feeling the urge as soon-to-be Covenant to have a CorSec escort to this meeting. Any candidates?”

She yanks her top over her head as he kicks his boots off. “Race you to the float,” she says.

As he follows the blur of crimson skin into the water of the lake, he realizes that he has laughed more in the last few hours, even with the pain, than he has for months.

+=+=+=+=+=

Mace Windu kneels patiently in the passenger compartment of the Jedi shuttle attached to the government orbital cantonment. It is taking all of his equanimity, even without the Force to keep his patience. 

As usual, with this particular meeting participant.

The airlock cycles. _Only three hours late_. In spite of his impatience, his heart twists at the sight of Taliesin Croft, whole and unharmed.

At least physically. Windu can see the shadows of pain and trial over his face, its familiar beard now reduced to only a bit around his mouth, his hair cropped short.

The eyes remain the same. Windu closes his own as he remembers the pride in Shaak Ti’s violet eyes at her hunter—even when he tested the rest of the Council.

Croft is clad in his Jedi robes, his lightsaber hanging from his customary _Akul_ -tooth belt, the sash of a Togruta hunter in the center. Windu’s eyes narrow at the large Corellian blaster high on his right hip. His eyes widen even further at the silver symbol around his neck. A double offset triangle on a chain.

Windu takes the high ground. “Hello, Knight Croft. It gives me pride to call you that.” He pauses. “That is, if you still call yourself that.”

Croft bows briefly, then walks in. An unaccountable warmth if the first indicator that Croft is not alone. A shorter crimson figure walks in and stands at parade rest beside him.

Windu takes a deep breath. Actually, several as he attempts to control his blood flow and heartrate. He realizes several things about the young woman. She is much shorter than most of her people, coming up about to mid-chest on Croft. She is also clad in the uniform of Corellian Security, the uniform tailored and professional on her form, the purple beret centered on her pinned up hair, her weapon at her left hip in polished leather.

He drops his head to her. She comes to attention and raises her right fingertips to her brow in salute, drops it, and returns her clasped hands in front of her. Her eyes are focused on the wall behind her.

“Knight Croft, I didn’t expect a guest. If the young lady could wait outside, we have much to discuss,” Mace says. 

Croft’s green eyes narrow. Windu doesn’t know whether he should grimace at what comes next or grin at the sheer joy at the sight of the young man standing in front of him. 

“The young lady has a name,” Croft says evenly. “She is Senior Inspector Daaineran Faygan of Corellian Security. Holder of the 1st and 2nd Rank of the Corellian Bloodstripe. A blooded peaceforcer of the Five Brothers. I figure she has the right to be here as much as you. She’s the chosen representative and my attendant.”

Incongruously, Mace notices that both Croft and Faygan’s hair is wet. He rolls his eyes.

“She has no standing here. This is the report of a Jedi Knight to the Master of the Order under the Code and the Rule. She must leave.”

He notices that Faygan has abandoned her stone-faced stare. She now looks back and forth.

“No.”

“You dare defy me?” Mace starts. He stops, realizing how silly he sounds.

“No, Master Windu,” Croft says quietly. “I am a Jedi. But I’m something more. I am the Covenant of my people and these worlds. I am their Protector.”

Windu feels something through the bit of warmth from the Zeltron Inspector’s empathic gift.

_Raw pride_. He can almost taste it. He suppresses the despair—the despair of being able to remember what it felt like to sense emotions—especially positive ones. He smiles at the young woman, sudden grateful. He glimpses a slight light in her purple eyes; a quirking up of one side of her mouth.

The moment fades as he turns to direct his stare at Croft again. 

“What is it they always said about us?” Croft asks, as he closes his eyes. “For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy.” His eyes open. “Doesn’t seem so different from Covenant,” he finishes quietly. 

“Untold centuries ago, my ancestor became the first Covenant. It is said that she exhibited powers that were otherworldly. Powers that allowed her to run faster, jump higher—to throw things with her mind.” He grins. “She could even suggest things to those weaker than herself.”

He looks at Dani, as if for support. She smiles, a warm expression that cuts through Mace’s heart.

“She could’ve ruled the Eldest Brother. She chose not to. She bound herself to a ruler and ultimately to the people. To their freedom.” He looks down. “She died defending those freedoms against that very king.”

Mace listens, fascinated in spite of himself.

“In time, her son rose up, accepted her title. He didn’t have her power, but he had that same love of justice and peace. He overthrew the king, and accepted the rule of the next queen.”

“Covenants now can be the heir to the present-day version of the throne, since both titles rest in two families. Don’t think I’ll find myself doing that.”

He stops, shakes his head.

“Taliesin,” Windu says, “you’re not just the hope of your world. You, Kenobi, young Tano, you are the hope of us all. You are the last of the Jedi. The last hope for the Order. For that peace and justice you speak of.”

“No, Master. I think we are only the hope for peace and justice. Not the Order.”

Windu recoils as if each word strikes him. He slumps. “Then we are lost,” he says.

He looks up, as he realizes Croft has moved directly in front of him. The younger man extends his hands and places them on Windu’s shoulders. “We’re never lost, Master. I don’t know that Ahsoka wants to be a Jedi anymore. I heard her call herself a Padawan, but I think that just may be something to call herself. She realizes that she’s still a learner.”

He looks down, his face crumpling for a moment. “I realized that I’m not a teacher. She is going to Alderaan to learn more from Master Kenobi.” He grins. “She may not be a Jedi, but I think she’s firmly in the light.”

“Taliesin, about that. About Maul. He—,” Windu starts.

Croft shakes his head. “No, Master. I’ll form my own judgements, flawed as they are on Lord Maul. I trust Kenobi. I may not trust myself, these days, but I trust Ahsoka, and I trust Dani. They have been exposed to Maul.”

“Croft, I can’t have you or Ahsoka fall to the dark side. That could happen,” Windu finishes.

“Seems like to me there isn’t anything that you or any other member of the Council can do to prevent that.”

Windu closes his eyes. He feels moisture behind them. He grits his teeth and opens them, staring at him. “I can have the Senate take him. I can persuade them.”

Faygan walks up. “Master Windu, with all due respect. I know for a fact that neither Alderaan nor Corellia will give up any of its citizens to the Jedi Council. A body who no longer has authority over any except those who willingly grant it to them.”

Windu stares at her. She doesn’t back down. 

Windu shifts his gaze to Croft, who still holds his shoulders. “Trust us, Master Windu,” he says.

Windu thinks of thousands of years of his Order. He thinks of everything drilled down to this obstinate, often insubordinate young man. He thinks of the first time that he had Force-jumped off of the Temple. It has this same uncertainty.

He feels Croft pull him into an embrace. His arms go around the younger Guardian.

Mace Windu jumps.

At least for now.


End file.
